Header Photo Credit

Dr. Lloyd C. Elam

Today, the president of Meharry Medical College informed the community of the death of Dr. Lloyd C. Elam yesterday. Dr. Elam was the 6th president of Meharry, having become president at 39 years old on June 6, 1968. The presidency was just one of many of the roles Dr. Elam served the college throughout his 25 years there. Dr. Elam had many accomplishments, was very active in the community, and received numerous rewards and accolades for his contributions.

Dr. Elam was born in 1929 to Harry P. (Apr 1899 – Sep 1975) & Ruth Elam (c. 1903 – ?) in Little Rock, Arkansas. From the family’s 1930 census record, I see that Dr. Elam had at lease two siblings, Margaret & Theodore. At the time, Lloyd was 1 year and 5 months old.

When I located Lloyd’s father’s WWI Draft Registration Card, Iearned that his father’s name was William P. Elam. William was born in Louisiana, and with wife Hattie whom he married about 1887, would have at least 6 children, one of whom died before 1900. The children I could find at this point for William & Hattie are Erastus H. (b. Nov 1887), Wiley V. (b. Sep 1894), Harry P. (b. Apr 1899), Floyd (b. abt. 1902) and Cyrus (b. abt. 1905). [see the family in 1900 and 1910 census records]

Reading about Dr. Elam’s life as I’ve been doing over the past few hours has been educational and I know that he will be dearly missed by all his family, friends and colleagues. Rest in peace Dr. Elam.